Scientific Name
Genicanthus semifasciatus  
Pronounce  
 Genicanthus semifasciatus半紋背頰刺魚
by: Lab of Fish Ecol. and Evo., BRCAS
Author (Kamohara, 1934) Depth 2 - 20M
Chinese 半紋背頰刺魚 Poisonous Fish No 
Family_Chinese 蓋刺魚科 Economic Fish No 
Family F394　Pomacanthidae Edible Fish No  Chinese In Mainland China 半紋月蝶魚 
Max Length 21 cm  Aquarium Fish Yes  Common Name 半紋神仙、神仙(臺東) 
Distribution in World Australia   Distribution in Taiwan LanI Is.、Greeb IS. 
Habitats Coral、Coastal  Holotype Locality Kashi Is., Japan 
Synonyms Holacanthus semifasciatus   
Reference 臺灣魚類誌(沈等, 1993)  Kamohara, T. 1934 
Specimen List ASIZP0060558. ASIZP0069379. ASIZP0071075. ASIZP0802497. ASIZP0804234. ASIZP0805887. ASIZP0805895. ASIZP0912497. ASIZP0915887. ASIZP0915895. FRIP21354. FRIP21539. FRIP21542. NMMBP01177. NMMBP02259. NMMSTP00040. NTUM01414. NTUM01415. NTUM01716. NTUM02393. NTUM02395. NTUM02399. NTUM02400. NTUM02700. NTUM02701. NTUM03747. NTUM03749. NTUM08024. NTUM08043. NTUM08636. ROM39364.  
Barcode2015-10-23,Chia-Hao Chang,CO1,%
Common Name Japanese swallow 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body moderately elongate, and strongly compressed. Preorbital bone convex and without strong spines. 1 prominent spines at angle of preopercle. Ventral edge of interopercle serrated. Eye moderately small. Mouth small, terminal, protractile, gape not extending to anterior rim or orbit. Scale on middle of body with focus on exposed portion. Anterior edge of lachrymal strongly serrated. Dorsal fin with XV spines and 15-16 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 16-18 soft rays; caudal fin lunate. Males light bluish green with many narrow black bars on upper half of the sides, but not extending to the top of the head, and a yellow to orange mark on upper half of head exending to the middle of body; females without bars, yellowish brown on the upper sides and silver below; head above eye black, posterior parts of preopercle and opercle black; black stripes on both lobes of caudal fin joined on caudal peduncle. pratogynons hevmaph rotate.
habitats Inhabits seaward rocky and coral reefs. Hardy aquarium species; takes standard food such as chopped beef, freeze-dried shrimp, mysids. 
Distribution Distributed from southern Japan to Taiwan and northern Philippines. It is found in Lanyu and Lyudao, southeastern Taiwan. 
Utility Marine aquarium fish.